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State Representative Kathleen Clyde (D) was the keynote speaker at the Obama for Ohio kickoff meeting at Kent State. Clyde spoke Thursday night to a group of about 20, mostly College Democrats.

“A lot of work lies ahead of us,” she said.

The meeting served as an official start for the campaign at the university, and essentially brought together a small group of College Democrats to form a strategy for the coming presidential election.

College Democrats president Bryan Staul said most of the campaign work will begin in the late summer, but some students have already made about 15,000 calls at phone banks for the president.

Clyde emphasized the importance of the youth vote for the president, but said such a large mass of student voters in a battleground state like Ohio is critical.

“If we don’t get Kent State to vote in this election, we don’t re-elect Barack Obama,” she said.

Clyde also offered advice to the students, suggesting they begin first with a push to register new voters and get them registered in Portage County.

Currently, the College Democrats have had a table set up in the student center for students to sign “Pledge to Reg” cards to remind them of key dates in registering to vote.

Clyde said she volunteered for several campaigns and understands volunteering for a campaign can be very time-consuming, but the rewards are worth it.

“It paid off for me,” she said.

Thus far the Obama campaign has opened 10 field offices in Ohio. The one in Kent will be opening in the coming months.

-Meghan Bogardus